Bullet sizing and lubricating device



Oct. 18, 1938. R s p 2,133,873

BULLET sxzme AND LUBRICATING DEVICE .Filed Aug. 5, 1957 INVENTOR. 650/?65 f? 5/-/A/?R BY I ATORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES ATE OFFICE '7 Claims.

This invention relates to bullet sizing and lubricating devices and more particularly to an improved, compact machine by which lead bullets can be accurately sized and properly greased with great rapidity and a minimum of efiort.

' Lead bullets such as are used in pistons and rifles are usually provided with a circumferentially extending groove adjacent the base of the bullet which groove is filled with a lubricating J grease before the bullet is placed in the cartridge and fired. Ready-made loaded cartridges are relatively expensive and many organizations and individual marksmen prefer to cast their own bullets, charge the shells and .assemble the loaded cartridges and bullets. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple, economical device for accurately sizing lead bullets and filling the grease groove or grooves at the base thereof with a suitable lubricant.

Other objects of my invention are the provision of a bullet lubricating and sizing device of the type described which contains a minimum of parts, is small in size and readily portable and which is entirely fool-proof in its operation; the provision of a bullet greasing and sizing device in which the two operations of lubricating and sizing are performed in a single passage of the bullet through the apparatus and in which undesirable application of grease to the base of the bullet is prevented; the provision of a bullet lubricating and sizing device which may be readily adjusted to accommodate bullets of different calibers and lengths and having the grease grooveor grooves disposed at different distances from the base of the bullet; the provision of a bullet lubricating and sizing device which is particularly adapted for manual operation but which, if desired, may readily be converted to power operation.

The above and further objects of my invention will appear from the following description of one embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my assembled device.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional View taken through the apparatus of Figure-1 and illustrating the parts in the positions they assume when the operating plunger is lifted and a bullet is in position to be operated upon.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the bullet sizing and greasing portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 2 but illustrating the parts in the positions they assume when the operating plunger has been depressed just suificiently to size the bullet and located it for the greasing operation.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but illustrating the parts in the positions they assume when the operating plunger has been further depressed to position the bullet to receive grease from thereservoir and illustrating a previously greased bullet dropping out of thebottom of the device.

Figure 5 is a detached perspective view of the movable die member.

Figure 6 is. an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lubricant reservoir and pressure feed assembly.

My improved lubricating and sizing device, as illustrated, comprises a base I and a supporting bracket 2 which may be secured to the'base by suitable screws 3. A lubricant reservoir 4 is provided with an outlet tube 5 which is threaded into the base I and connects with the passage 5 in the base which extends to an annular groove 1 formed in the bore 8 in the base I for purposes which will be later explained.

The lubricating reservoir 4 is equipped with a plunger or piston 9 mounted on a screw threaded rod I0 having a handle I I. A wing nut I2 engages the threads on the rod I 0 and also is adapted to abut against the end of the closure cap I3 of the reservoir 4. The outer end of the cap I3 is bored to permit free movement of the threaded rod I0 therethrough and a spring I4 is disposed between the plunger 9 and the cap I3. To facilitate removal of the plunger and filling of the reservoir with grease the cap I3 has threaded engagement with the open end of the reservoir 4. The spring I4 is so made that when the reservoir 4 is partially filled with grease and the cap I3 in position the spring will be under compression and will tend to force the plunger 9 down against the body of grease causing pressure to be exerted on the grease in the passage 6 and the groove I. The wing nut I2 can be screwed down upon the end of the closure I3 (the handle II being held to prevent rotation of the rod ID) to cause the spring I4 to be compressed between the plunger 9 and the inside of the closure cap I3. Such compression of the spring I4 will relieve the pressure exerted on the grease and by adjusting the position of the wing nut I2 on the screw threaded rod II] the degree of pressure exerted on the grease can be controlled. This arrangement provides for a substantially constant grease pressure at all times without the necessity for frequent turning down of the plunger. A large number of bullets can be greased without any adjustment of the wing nut l2 or handle H and this is a distinct advantage when a large number of bullets are to be sized and greased.

A slot I5 is formed in the bracket 2 and a pin I6 provides a pivotal support for the operating lever 11. The end of the lever I! may be formed into a handle I8, as is shown in Figure 1. .An operating plunger I9 has a sliding fit in a suitable'bore in the bracket 2 and the upper end of the plunger 19 is slotted at 20 to accommodate the arm l! which extends through this slot. Rollers 2| and 22, rotatably mounted on pins 23 and 24 respectively, are disposed in the slot 20 and engage the top and bottom edges of the arm H. A slight play may be permitted between these rollers and the arm I! and it will be understood that the arm bears against the roller 2| when downward pressure is exerted on the handle [8 and against the roller 22 when the handle is lifted. The lower end of plunger I9 is of reduced diameter and is threaded as at 25 to accommodate the adjustable stop member 26 and the lock nut- 21 therefor. The lower end of the plunger l9 is recessed at 28 to engage the rounded end of a bullet 29.

A stationary sleeve 30 is fitted into the bore 8 in the base I. This sleeve has a plurality of circumferentially distributed holes 32 extending from the outer surface of the sleeve to an annular groove 33. The holes 32 are aligned with the groove 1 in the base i and thus it will be seen that the grease under pressure which enters the groove 1 through the passage 6 will pass through the holes 32 in the groove 33 in the sleeve 36.

The movable die and grease valve member 34 has a sliding fit within the sleeve 30. It is provided with a flange 35 at its base which flange engages the end of the sleeve 30 and limits the V upward movement of the die 34. A spring 36 is held under compression in the housing 31 which is secured to the base I by screws 38. This spring engages the flange 35 normally to hold the die 34 in its upper position. An adjustable tubular stop member 39 is threaded into the housinv 31 and is provided with a lock nut 40 to lock it in adjusted position. The upper end of the tubular member 39 is spaced from the lower end of the die 34, as seen in Figure 2, and acts as a stop to limit the downward movement of the die 34, as is seen in Figure 4.

An annular groove 4| extends around the outer periphery of the die 34 and a plurality of holes 42 extend from the base of the groove through the wall of the die. The upper end of the bore 43 of the die 34 is preferably rounded or flared as seen at 44 to facilitate initial positioning of the bullets and the bore 43 is of such diameter as to accurately size the bullets to the required caliber.

In the operation of my apparatus the wing nut I2 is first adjusted to permit the spring M to.

exert the desired pressure upon the grease in the reservoir 4 through the plunger 9. The other parts of the apparatus are then placed in the position shown in Figure 2 and by moving the handle l8 upwardly a bullet 29 is inserted base down in the upper end of the die 34. The handle l8 has been lifted to raise the plunger l9 so that the recessed end 28 thereof is above the rounded end of the bullet. The first portion of the downward movement of the lever arm l1 will push the plunger l9 down against a bullet 29 and force the bullet into the die 34 in the position shown in Figure 3.

As the spring 36 is made sufficiently strong to prevent downward movement of the die 34 during the passage of the bullet 29 therethrough in the first part of the stroke of plunger I9, the bullet will be moved down into the bore 43 of the die 34 until the grease groove 29 on the bullet is in exact alignment with the groove 4| and the holes 42 in the die. When the bullet has reached this point the end 26' of the stop member 26 will just be in engagement with the upper end of the die 34 (see Fig. 3). It will be seen that by regulating the position of the stop member 26 by moving it on the threaded portion 25 of the plunger IS the apparatus can be adjusted to accommodate bullets of different lengths or different arrangements of grease grooves.

After the end 26' of the stop member 26 engages the upper end of the die 34 further downward movement of the arm II will move the die 34, together with the bullet 29, downwardly until the lower end of the flange35 ofthe die 34 engages the upper end of the tubular stop 39. When this occurs the parts will be in the positions shown in Figure 4 and the groove 4! of the die 34 will be aligned with the groove 33 and holes 32 in the sleeve 30 and the grease under pressure will be forced through the holes 42 into the grease groove 29' in the bullet.

The arm ll is now lifted to the position shown in Figure 2 and another bullet inserted and the above described operations repeated. The second bullet will force the first bullet down through the die 34 and it will drop out through the tube 39 as indicated in Figure 4.

The upper part 45 of the bracket 2 is threaded to accommodate a knurled nut 46 which carries a felt pad 41 and is provided with an oil cup opening 48. This arrangement provides an oil reservoir which will lubricate the plunger IS in the bracket 2.

From the above description it will be seen that with my improved apparatus the bullet is first sized in a die which is substantially free from grease and then, when the bullet has been properly positioned in the die, grease is admitted only to 1' the grease groove and, before the bullet is moved from its greasing position in the die, the supply of grease is completely shut off by the valve action of the sliding die member 34. With this arrangement the grease'is only admitted to the v bullet grease groove when it is in position to receive the grease and the other parts of the bullet are at all times protected from excessive and undesirable application of grease.

If it is desired to size and grease bullets of different caliber it is only necessary to change die members which can be readily done by removing the screws 38 and the spring assembly 36 and slipping in a new die 34 of proper size. Also, if desired to lubricate bullets having more than a single grease groove this can readily be accomplished by providing a sleeve 30 having a plurality of grooves which will line up With corresponding grooves in the sliding die member. The adjustment of the plunger stop member 26 takes care of variations in the length of the bullets and also in the position of the grease groove on the bullet and makes possible the positive alignment of thebullet grease groove with the groove 42 in the die 43 without any attention on the part of the operator.

With my improved bullet sizing and lubricating device bullets may be very rapidly, cleanly and effectively sized and greased. Although I have described the illustrated embodiment of my invention in considerable detail it will be understood by those skilled in the art that modifications and variations may be made Without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the specific form herein shown but claim as my invention all embodiments coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the type described, a base having an aperture extending therethrough and a circumierentially extending groove in the wall of said aperture, a sleeve in said aperture having circumferentially spaced holes extending through the sleeve wall and disposed in alignment with said groove, a tubular die member having a bullet sizing bore, having a sliding fit in said sleeve and having a flange extending outwardly at its lower end, said die member having circumferentially spaced lubricant passages extending through the wall thereof, said passages being positioned out of alignment with said holes in said sleeve wall when the flange of the die member abuts the base, a plunger, means for supporting said plunger for movement substantially parallel to the axis of the bore in said die, a lever connected to move said plunger, an adjustable stop member on said plunger having a portion adapted to engage the end of said die and to move said die downwardly in said sleeve until the lubricant passages in said die align with the holes in said sleeve, spring means tending to oppose such downward movement of said die, and an adjustable stop member adapted to engage the flanged end of said die and limit its movement relative to said sleeve.

2. In bullet sizing and lubricating apparatus, a base having an aperture therethrough, a tubular die member in said aperture and adapted to have axial movement therein, means for directing lubricant under pressure to an outlet at said aperture, a lubricant passage through the wall of said die member, resilient means tending to maintain said lubricant passage in said die out of alignment with said lubricant outlet at said aperture, said resilient means being sufiiciently strong to prevent movement of said die in said aperture when a bullet being sized and lubricated is forced into said die, means for positioning a bullet in said die and moving said die with the bullet positioned therein against the resistance of said resilient means to align said lubricant passage in said die with said lubricant outlet at said aperture.

3. In bullet sizing and lubricating apparatus, means for supplying lubricant under pressure, a tubular die having a lubricant passage extending therethrough, walls defining an aperture in which said die has a sliding fit, means for con-.

veying lubricant under pressure from said supplying means to said aperture, spring means adapted. normally to maintain said lubricant passage in said die out of register with the outlet of said lubricant conveying means, and a movable plunger adapted during a portion of its stroke to position a bullet in said die to receive lubricant through said lubricant passage in the die and during a further portion of its stroke to move said die in said aperture to register said die lubricant passage with the outlet from said lubricant source.

4. In a bullet sizing and lubricating apparatus, a base, a tubular die having a sliding fit in an aperture in said base, said die having a lubricant passage extending through its wall, a source of lubricant under pressure, said base having a lubricant passage adapted to convey lubricant from said source to an outlet at said aperture, a plunger supported for movement relative to said base, a stop shoulder on said plunger, a spring tending to maintain said lubricant passage in said die and base out of register and means for moving said plunger to force a bullet into said die and then engage said die with said stop shoulder and move said die to register with said lubricant passages.

5. In bullet sizing and lubricating apparatus, a tubular sizing die having a lubricant passage between its ends, a base having an aperture having a lubricant outlet, resilient means for supporting said die in said aperture with said lubricant passage and outlet out of register and means for moving said die to permit said lubricant passage in the die to register with said outlet in said base.

6. In bullet sizing and lubricating apparatus, a tubular sizing die having a lubricant passage between its ends, a base having an aperture having a lubricant outlet, resilient means for supporting said die in said aperture with said lubricant passage and outlet out of register, means for moving said die to permit said lubricant passage in the die to register with said outlet in said base, and means for supplying lubricant under pressure to said lubricant outlet in said base aperture.

7. In apparatus of the type described a tubular member having a lubricating passage between its ends, a member having an aperture having a lubricating outlet, resilient means for supporting said tubular member in said aperture with said lubricating passage and outlet out of register, means for moving said tubular member to permit said lubricating passage therein to register with said outlet in said apertured member, and means for supplying lubricant under pressure to said lubricating outlet in said apertured member.

GEORGE R. SHARP. 

